Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gardens

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution to national health and wellbeing of the re-opening to the public in May of gardens owned by (1) members of Historic Houses, and (2) other private individuals.

Baroness Barran: Although no specific assessment has been made, the government recognised that increasing the green amenity space available to the public was important for both physical health and mental wellbeing, especially as one in eight households in Britain has no garden. The Government was keen that sites and organisations could freely reopen to the public, once it was safe to do so. These included the likes of National Trust gardens and parkland (not houses), the grounds and gardens of privately owned historic houses, Kew Gardens and the outdoor spaces of Royal Horticultural Society properties. Only those outdoor spaces that could be opened safely and in compliance with wider social distancing guidelines reopened. Opening these sites provided a wider range of safe opportunities for the public to engage in outdoor recreation, helping to reduce pressure on pinch points and hotspots such as urban public parks, beaches and areas of natural beauty.

National Trust

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last met representatives of the National Trust; and what was discussed at that meeting.

Baroness Barran: Representatives of the National Trust last met with the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage on 21st October 2020 as part of the Heritage Working Group. The meeting focussed on covid-19 impacts on the heritage sector.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Members: Committees

Lord Mann: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many current members of the House have not (1) attended a sitting of the House, Grand Committee or committee meeting, (2) spoken, and (3) voted, since 1 January.

Lord McFall of Alcluith: (1) 42(2) 192(3) 91 The answer is based on the total number of members who were members on 20 October (819). The total includes members on leave of absence and those yet to be introduced, and excludes those who were members from 1 January but have since died or retired.Office holders, or the holders of ceremonial roles, may speak rarely or not at all, and for some voting is not appropriate to their role.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Land: Ownership

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made (1) of, aside from the Crown and the UK Government, which (a) person, (b) family, (c) organisation, or (d) charity, is the largest landowner in England and Wales; and (2) of how many acres are held by that landowner.

Lord Callanan: None. HM Land Registry holds the database that records the legal ownership of registered land in England and Wales. While the register currently holds some 87% of the freehold surface area by individual land owner, the data is not structured in a way that makes it practical to assess the largest single landowner.

Carillion: Directors

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many directors of Carillion plc have been disqualified as directors since the report by the House of Commons Business, Energy and IndustrialStrategy Select Committee and Work and Pensions Select CommitteeCarillion (HC769) was published on 16 May 2018.

Lord Callanan: The Insolvency Service’s enquiries into Carillion plc are ongoing. Once complete, a decision will be made on whether it is in the public interest to commence disqualification proceedings against any of the directors of the company.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of casualties, and (2) the damage to houses, schools and infrastructure, in (a) theNagorno-Karabakh region, and (b) Azerbaijan, and (2) the appeal for funds by the International Committee of the Red Cross to help address the COVID-19 pandemic in that region.

Baroness Sugg: We have not made an assessment of the number of casualties, damage to houses, schools and infrastructure outside of the information that has been provided by both parties. We continue to evaluate what support the UK provides to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the peace agreement signed between Sudan’s Civilian-led Transitional Government, the Sudan Revolutionary Front, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minawi and the Sudanese Alliance on 3 October; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the decision of the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North not to sign that agreement.

Baroness Sugg: The UK welcomes the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement on 3 October 2020. This is an important step towards a comprehensive peace deal to help bring to an end decades of conflict in Sudan. The UK and our Troika partners, the US and Norway, welcomed this progress in a statement on 4 October, calling for all parties to implement this agreement in the spirit of cooperation and compromise. We also called for further engagement to seek an agreement with those groups who have not, thus far, joined peace talks. In this regard, we welcome the agreement of 3 September to re-start negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North. Through the UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, and our officials in Khartoum, we remain in contact with all parties to urge progress towards a lasting peace.In addition, we are supporting the establishment of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan (UNITAMS), which will help in the implementation of the peace agreement and will have a central role for international community support. The UK also delivers programmes that promote long-term stability in conflict-affected areas, support marginalised groups, and encourage reconciliation within conflicted communities. On 25 June, as demonstration of the UK's wider commitment to support Sudan as it transitions to democracy, the Minister for Africa announced £150million in assistance to help reform Sudan's economy, stabilise inflation and provide humanitarian assistance.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the peace agreement signed between Sudan’s transitional government and the Sudanese Revolutionary Front on 3 October.

Baroness Sugg: The UK welcomes the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement on 3 October 2020 between the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese Revolutionary Front. This is an important step towards a comprehensive peace deal to help bring to an end decades of conflict in Sudan. The UK and our Troika partners, the US and Norway, welcomed this progress in a statement on 4 October calling for all parties to implement this agreement in the spirit of cooperation and compromise. We called for further engagement to seek an agreement with groups who have not, thus far, joined peace talks. Through the UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, and our officials in Khartoum, we remain in contact with all parties to urge progress for the sake of those who have suffered for too long from conflicts in Sudan.In addition, we are supporting the establishment of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan (UNITAMS), which will help in the implementation of the peace agreement and will have a central role for international community support. The UK also delivers programmes that promote long-term stability in conflict-affected areas, support marginalised groups, and encourage reconciliation within conflicted communities. On 25 June, as demonstration of the UK's wider commitment to support Sudan as it transitions to democracy, the Minister for Africa announced £150 million in assistance to help reform Sudan's economy, stabilise inflation and provide humanitarian assistance.

Burundi: Rwanda

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current intergovernmental relations between the governments of Rwanda and Burundi.

Baroness Sugg: The UK notes positive developments in the Rwanda-Burundi relationship, including the meeting of foreign ministers at their shared border on 20 October. We support continued dialogue and increased cooperation between the two governments. Good relations between Rwanda and Burundi are important for continued development and sustainable peace.

Coronavirus: International Cooperation

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the Alliance for COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.

Baroness Sugg: As a founding donor, the UK is a strong supporter of the Access for COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. The UK has a seat on the Facilitation Council, provides strategic guidance, and mobilises financial support in its role. The UK has contributed up to £813 million to ACT-Accelerator partners. This includes the Prime Minister's announcement at the United National General Assembly of up to £500 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment to support access to coronavirus vaccines for up to 92 developing countries.

Food Supply: France

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they intend to make to the government of France about itsban on the distribution of food or drink in Calais.

Baroness Sugg: Local decrees, such as Arrete CAB-BRS of 10 September 2020, issued by the prefecture of France's Pas-de-Calais department, are a domestic matter for French authorities. We understand that this decree intends to prevent gatherings in around twenty specific streets in Calais city centre and to allow for social distancing but that it does not amount to a total ban on the distribution of food and drink in Calais.

West Africa: France

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their response to the report by the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee The UK and Sub-Saharan Africa: prosperity, peace and development cooperation, published on 18 September,how they are working with the government of France on shared priority issues in Cameroon and Nigeria; whether they cooperate with that government on internal and regional security issues in Cameroon and Nigeria as well as those concerning Boko Haram and Al Qaeda in West Africa; and if not, what plans they have to do so.

Baroness Sugg: We cooperate closely with the French Government on our shared priorities of prosperity, peace and development in Cameroon and Nigeria. This includes working together in support of Cameroonian and Nigerian efforts to tackle the terrorist threat posed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa in the Lake Chad Basin region. For example, through our funding and operational support to the Multi-National Joint Taskforce, which seeks to coordinate the military response to the conflict.

Burundi: Human Rights

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in response to the report by the UN Human Rights CouncilReport of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, published on 16 September.

Baroness Sugg: The UK remains extremely concerned by the ongoing human rights situation in Burundi, and its humanitarian consequences. The findings of the report of the Commission of Inquiry that Burundi remains at risk of atrocities, is deeply troubling. We welcome the Government of Burundi's commitment to deliver real change and break from the past. The UK will be ready to engage in more substantive dialogue with Burundi once it has taken demonstrable steps to improve human rights, and made progress towards peace and stability. However, we believe an inclusive dialogue, led by the region, remains one of the only viable options to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Burundi. In this context, we continue to urge Burundi to engage both with the region and with the wider international community on human rights, sustainable peace and development issues in the country.

Burundi: Refugees

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the return of Burundian refugees from Rwanda; and what steps they have taken to support any such resettlement.

Baroness Sugg: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is working with the Governments of Rwanda and Burundi to facilitate the voluntary return of refugees to Burundi. Since 26 July 2020, a large number of refugees have been repatriated from Rwanda. The UK continues to support the work of UNHCR including reintegration support for repatriated refugees, in addition to wider food security, malnutrition and emergency management interventions. The UK has provided a total of £15 million in humanitarian support to Burundi between July 2017 and December 2020.

Kyrgyzstan: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the annulment of the outcome of the 4 October Parliamentary elections by the Central Election Committee of Kyrgyzstan, what assessment they have made of the political situation inKyrgyzstan; and what discussions they have held, if any, with the government ofKyrgyzstan to support the safeguarding of the democratic process.

Baroness Sugg: Parliamentary elections on 4 October were marred by allegations of widespread electoral malpractice. There was significant political and social unrest and violence in the immediate days following the Parliamentary elections and the situation remains fragile.It is for the people of Kyrgyzstan to choose their leaders in free and fair elections consistent with the constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic. The UK continues to call for an inclusive, legal and democratic resolution. We have delivered messages through Ministers and at the OSCE urging for peace and calling for the constitutional and democratic processes to be followed, and in support of the UN's work in this area. These messages have been reinforced by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Bishkek.